So Andie's fourth birthday is in a few weeks....I'm having a "gardening" kinda theme for it. It'll be small, only 2 friends probably & then grandparents & aunt/uncle.

Anyways, the one thing we're doing is planting flowerpots....I'm buying pots & a variety of plants for the girls to make their own. I figured it would kill 2 birds with one stone.....an activity PLUS their "take-home" thing.

But is that one thing enough? I'm trying to think of something else for them to do....I'd LIKE to keep them outside playing rather than inside tearing up the house, yannow?

hmmmmmmmm........

This might be fun - and it'll work well this late in the season, and with three girls (and a strong man with a shovel... :) )

Build a sunflower playhouse. I saw this in Family Fun Magazine, and it looks really cool. I've been searching for pictures, but I can't find them. I'll keep looking. Here are some official instructions.

The idea is: plant sunflower seeds (likely unsalted. :) ) in a circle (or a square, or whatever shape you want your house to be). When the sunflowers are getting tall, rope them off to bend them down. They'll make a nice, shady canopy. It'll be about six feet tall, and sturdy. It won't blow down, either (well, except, maybe, in a hurricane). It'll be fun, because all summer the girls can come over and play in it.

With the poisoning I did in our back yard earlier this spring (still nothing will grow! :o ), I don't want to chance it with the sunflowers this season. :(

Edit:I found this link, with a picture as well!

Sorry, can't top Clay's idea. He's like the Martha Stewart of stay-at-home-dads!

ah Clay, that sounds cute!! Wonder if I can talk hubby into it??? :eyebrows: